Formation of Selectively Evaporated Metal Image Based on Photoelectrochemical Oxidation of Aromatic Compounds

Abstract

A new type of metal imaging system is reported.
When n-type semiconductor electrodes we re illuminated in the electrolytic solution which contained aromatic compounds, a thin organic layer was formed on the irradiated region of the surface. The deposition was found to be effective for changing the rate of zinc evaporation. The image formed by the photoelectrolysis (latent image) could be developed by selective zinc vapor evaporation in a vacuum chamber and brought about a fine zinc pattern on the semiconductor electrode.
The mechanism of the zinc pattern formation was studied by measuring the rate of zinc deposition on the semiconductor surface.